Live data from Hacker News

Docker container breakout?

stealth.openwall.net

11–20 of 91 posts

Re: Docker container breakout?

#11

I believe it was Theo de Raadt who once said, "Why does everything think that when it comes to writing VM/container software suddenly people gain super human programming powers and no longer make the same mistakes they make writing operating systems?" (Slightly paraphrasing). While the issue is currently fixed in the .12 and 1.0 versions. I doubt Docker is still completely bullet proof.

No software is ever gonna be bullet proof.

Re: Docker container breakout?

#12
Hi all, I'm a maintainer of Docker. As others already indicated this doesn't work on 1.0. But it could have.

Please remember that at this time, we don't claim Docker out-of-the-box is suitable for containing untrusted programs with root privileges. So if you're thinking "pfew, good thing we upgraded to 1.0 or we were toast", you need to change your underlying configuration now. Add apparmor or selinux containment, map trust groups to separate machines, or ideally don't grant root access to the application.

Docker will soon support user namespaces, which is a great additional security layer but also not a silver bullet!

When we feel comfortable saying that Docker out-of-the-box can safely contain untrusted uid0 programs, we will say so clearly.

Re: Docker container breakout?

#13

I believe it was Theo de Raadt who once said, "Why does everything think that when it comes to writing VM/container software suddenly people gain super human programming powers and no longer make the same mistakes they make writing operating systems?" (Slightly paraphrasing). While the issue is currently fixed in the .12 and 1.0 versions. I doubt Docker is still completely bullet proof.

That is why Redhat contributed SELinux support for Docker so you can run with Mandatory Access Control enabled. Docker is a layer, and security is best in multiple layers. One of them will always be broken.

Re: Docker container breakout?

#14

With a technology used in production in a lot of places, does responsible disclosure apply here? Did the author (OP?) notify Docker and/or the Linux kernel team before distributing this for public consumption?

While the author called the exploit "shocker" I don't think anybody is shocked by it. There are likely many other ways to break out of Docker. And while I assume the Docker (and kernel!) people are closing them as they come along, I don't think anyone is claiming Docker is unescapable so it's not a surprise if it is.

Re: Docker container breakout?

#15
post #12

Hi all, I'm a maintainer of Docker. As others already indicated this doesn't work on 1.0. But it could have . Please remember that at this time, we don't claim Docker out-of-the-box is suitable for containing untrusted programs with root privileges. So if you're thinking "pfew, good thing we upgraded to 1.0 or we were toast", you need to change your underlying configuration now. Add apparmor or selinux containment, m…

For more details: https://docs.docker.com/articles/security/

Re: Docker container breakout?

#16
post #12

Hi all, I'm a maintainer of Docker. As others already indicated this doesn't work on 1.0. But it could have . Please remember that at this time, we don't claim Docker out-of-the-box is suitable for containing untrusted programs with root privileges. So if you're thinking "pfew, good thing we upgraded to 1.0 or we were toast", you need to change your underlying configuration now. Add apparmor or selinux containment, m…

Don't worry. This is how things get more secure. Just stay the course and whack the moles. :)

Docker is awesome by the way.

Re: Docker container breakout?

#17
post #12

Hi all, I'm a maintainer of Docker. As others already indicated this doesn't work on 1.0. But it could have . Please remember that at this time, we don't claim Docker out-of-the-box is suitable for containing untrusted programs with root privileges. So if you're thinking "pfew, good thing we upgraded to 1.0 or we were toast", you need to change your underlying configuration now. Add apparmor or selinux containment, m…

Thank you for being so completely transparent about things like this, I wished this attitude was more common in the IT world.
Post reply on HN